Solvent applying mechanism for wrapping machines



June 5, 1934. E, sMlTH 1,961,646

SOLVENT APPLYING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 'ELMER LSM/TH E. L. SMITH June 5, 1934.

SOLVENT APPLYING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Sept. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ELMER L..SM/TH M "7 f A TTORNEYS Patented June 5, 1934 UNITED STATES SOLVENT APPLYING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Elmer L. Smith, Longmeadow, Mass., assignor to Package Machinery Company, Springfield,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 28, 1932, Serial No. 635,201

7 Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines in which overlapping end flaps are secured together by the action of a solvent on the wrapping material or of a coating thereon. One object of the invention is to improve prior mechanisms of this character in respect to the rapidity and thoroughness with which the flaps are coated with solvent. A further object is to provide a mechanism by. which the solvent is driven into the corners formed by the overlapping portions of the folds. A further object is to provide a mechanism of this general type operating with improved speed and positiveness. Additional objects will appear from the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a conventional longitudinal section through a wrapping machine to which my invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one side of the folding channel illustrating the improved solvent applying mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a view of the same mechanism taken in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 with the parts in a diiferent position of operation;

Fig. 5 is a central section through a portion of the mechanism taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 with the platen of one of the flap pressing devices shown in dot and dash lines;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 omitting the article and the platen, and illustrating a modification;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a partially wrapped article in the condition in which the solvent is appliedv to it;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of a completely wrapped article; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 8 but illustrating the wrapping of a wider article.

The invention may be applied to various types of wrapping mechanism. The one shown for illustrative purposes comprises a longitudinalchannel formed of a bed plate 11 and the usual top holding plates (not shown). The bed plate is formed with a step 12 and an elevated portion 13. A top pressing plate 14 is spaced from the elevated portion 13 to form a channel. A wrapping machine of this general type is shown in the Ferguson Patent 1,634,711, July 5, 1927 and in the Smith Patent 1,853,091, April 12, 1932. The articles a to be wrapped are fed along the bed plate and elevated over the step 12 by a transporter 15 having spaced fingers 16 and given an orbital motion by mechanism which may be similar to that shown in the Ferguson and Smith patents referred to. The articles are by this means moved intermittently along the bed plate,

and have definite rest channel.

Mounted at the side 01 the channel are a pair of vertically spaced shafts 17 and 18 forming a part of a solvent applying mechanism, which may, if both ends of the article are being treated, be duplicated on the two sides of the channel. Only one of these units will be described as the other would be a substantial duplicate. Pivoted on these shafts are arms 19 and 20 joined together for simultaneous movement in opposite directions by gear segments 21. The arm 19 has an extension 22 joined by a link 23 with a lever 24 pivoted at 25 to the machine frame. The end of this lever bears a roll 26 adapted to rest against the underside of a plate 2'7 mounted for movement with the transporter 15. The roll is constantly held against the plate by a spring 28. When the transporter rises to feed the articles along the folding channel the plate 27 rises with it and the spring 28 draws the arms 19 and 20 into the open position shown in Fig. 3. When the transporter is lowered, leaving the articles in their spaced rest positions, the roll 26 is carried down and closes the arms 19 and 20 as shown in Fig. 4.

At the end of each of the arms 19 and 20 is a sliding pin 30 carrying upon its inner end a platen 31. A guide pin 32 is also secured to the platen and slides freely in a hole 33 in the arm so that the platen, while permitted to slide, is always kept in a constant angular position. The platen is constantly urged away from the arm by a spring 34, a positive limit of motion being provided by a cross pin 35. By this means the platens are made yieldable with respect to the arms for a purpose which will appear below.

The bracket 36 which carries the shafts 1'7 and 18 is chambered at 3'7 (Fig. 5) to form a conduit for a suitable sealing liquid or solvent. This chamber is suitably grooved or formed to receive a wick 38 which passes around a support 39 preferably formed integral with the bracket. The chamber 37 is preferably supplied with solvent by a constant level device of the type illustrated in the Smith Patent 1,873,060, August 23, 1932, so that the wick 38 is constantly kept moist but overflow of the solvent is prevented.

In the case shown the articles are given a preliminary longitudinal wrapping by a tumble box 40 which may be similar to that shown in the Price Patent 1,109,461, September 1, 1914 (see Fig. 13). The articles with the wrapper in tubular form around them are delivered from the tumble box by an ejector 41, such as is shown in the Price patent, onto the bed plate 11. Located at the sides of the bed plate adjacent the tumble box are stationary end tuckers 42 which form the forward end tucks c, the opposite tucks I) having been previously formed by the usual tuckers stations spaced along the in the tumble box. dition of Fig. 8. bevelled as at 43 The tuckers 42 are preferably to flare the flaps slightly so that they will pass readily above and below the stationary wick 38. The portion of the wick adjacent the end of the articleis preferably covered by a plate 44, conveniently secured to the tucker 42, to prevent solvent being applied to the package ends. In case the article is of a type in which it is desired to apply solvent both to the tucked in portion of the wrapper and to the outstanding flaps, this cover plate may be omitted. Its use is, however, generally preferred as it prevents the solvent being applied to the exposed portions of the article end.

The article is left by the transporter in the positions shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, with its flaps d and e respectively below and above the wick 38. The transporter then descends, causing the arms 19 and 20 to close, and the yielding platens 31 to press these flaps against the wick with a pressure which can be regulated by varying the strength of the springs 34. As the flaps are thus pressed against the wick the latter is compressed and a certainamount of the solvent is squeezed out of it. This action forces the solvent into any corners formed by the overlapping folds of the wrapper and insures that when the flaps are later folded against the article end all contacting portions of the wrapper will be thor-' oughly coated and a hermetic seal produced. The platens are moved away from the flaps by the upward motion of the transporter preparatory to moving the article to the next rest station.

The remaining flaps are folded by any desired means. As shown the lower flap d is folded by a plate 45 carried by the transporter and the upper flap 6 is folded by a stationary plate 46 as the article is elevated over the step 12. This operation is fully described in the Ferguson patent referred to. The folder 46 or the side portions of the folding channel beyond it are preferably heated by the customary off the solvent between the flaps and to secure their adhesion.

In some cases, as in the example shown in Fig. 10, the article is so wide that the tucks b and e do not meet, leaving an uncovered space f between them. It may in such a case be desirable to prevent the application of sealing liquid to this uncovered portion of the article. For this purpose a cover plate 47 as shown in Fig. 'I may be placed across the top and the bottom portions of the wick, having openings 48 corresponding in area to the parts of the upper and lower flaps which are to contact with the tucks'b and c. Any desired pattern can obviously be produced by this means.

The mechanism has been described as applied to a specific wrapping machine for purposes of clearness in illustration. It will be understood, however, that the device may be applied in any desired type of wrapping mechanism and that its mechanical structure will be adapted by those skilled in the art to meet the changes in its environment. The invention will now be defined in the following claims.

electrical means to dry- The article is now in the conon the surfaces of the support adjacent said spaced flaps, and movable means for pressing the flaps against the wick.

2. A wrapping machine comprising a wick support, a solvent carrying wick exposed upon opposite sides of the support, means for moving a partially wrapped article relative to the support to bring spaced flaps extendingfrom the article into straddling relation to the support,'and opposed members movable together to press said flaps against the wick.

3. A wrapping machine comprising a channel, meansfor forwarding intermittently along'the channel a partially wrapped article having spaced end flaps, a support adjacent the channel in position to be straddled by said flaps as the article reaches one of its rest stations, a solvent carrying wick exposed upon the surfaces of the support adjacent the interior surfaces of the flaps, and means movable against the outer surfaces of the flaps to carry them forcibly against the wicks.

4. A wrapping machine comprising a channel, means for forwarding intermittently along the channel a partially wrapped article having spaced end flaps, a support adjacent the channel in position to be straddled by said flaps as the article reaches one of the rest stations, a solvent carrying wick exposed upon the surfaces of the support adjacent the interior surfaces of the flaps, a pair of arms pivoted adjacent the article path, a yieldable platen carried by the arms, and means for oscillating the arms to press the flaps against the wick when the article is at rest.

5. A wrapping machine comprising mechanism for partially wrapping an article leaving an outstanding flap, means for advancing the article, a stationary solvent carrying wick positioned at one side of the flap, and a presser movable against the flap to carry it against the wick.

6. A wrapping machine comprising a wrapping channel, a transporter movable in an orbital path for advancing intermittently along the channela succession of articles each having one or more flaps projecting from the end thereof, a stationary solvent carrying wick positioned at a rest station of the article soyt/hat a flap overlies it, a presser movable to press the flap against the wick, and a connection between the presser and the transporter so that the presser is actuated by the transporter in that part of its orbit in which it is not feeding articles.

'7. A wrapping machine comprising a wrapping channel, a transporter movable in an orbital path for advancing intermittently along the channel a succession of articles each having a pair of flaps projecting from one end thereof, a stationary solvent carrying wick positioned at one side of the wrapping channel so that the pair of flaps straddle it as the article comes to a rest position, a pair of arms pivoted at one side of the channel and coupled together for opposite oscillatory movement, platens on the arms adapted to press the flaps against the wick, a plate carried by the transporter, a roll positioned to be engaged by the plate as the latter moves with the transporter, and connecting means between the roll and said arms so that the latter are swung into pressing position while the transporter is in that portion of its orbit in which it is not feeding articles.

ELMER. L. SMITH. 

